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Roasted Broccoli with Miso-Tahini-Tamari Sauce

Good for you? Of course, and I'll happily munch on a few raw florets or pieces of the crunchy stalk myself, but broccoli is one of those vegetables that seems to need a little help to make it more appetizing for many people. Fortunately, that's really easy to do by roasting it and dressing it with a simple sauce.

Roasting broccoli brings out a lively sweet flavor that you may never know the vegetable had — far more intense than the slightly washed out taste of steamed or broiled broccoli. And roasting it also brings out an attractive vibrant green color and pretty contrasts in the slightly charred tips that make broccoli an even more appealing vegetable to put on the plate.

A plate of roasted broccoli may be quite appealing as it is, as far as I'm concerned, but after having gone through the only very slight trouble of roasting it I like to enhance it with a drizzle of a fresh and equally trouble-free sauce, like this easy-to-make, no-cook and big flavor Asian-style made with miso, tahini and tamari sauce and spiked with fresh ginger and a little cayenne for a bit of a kick. So simple and nourishing besides, you can put the sauce together while the broccoli is roasting for a delicious and healthy plate that takes no more than 30 minutes from start to finish. I served this with pan-fried teriyaki mushrooms and cashews for a lovely and simple light dinner.

You'll also have plenty of sauce if you're relatively sparing — enough to roast a second broccoli head or a head of cauliflower to go with it later in the week, as the sauce will keep for a week refrigerated in a tightly sealed container.

Toss the broccoli with the sesame oil and arrange on the baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, turning the pieces once or twice. If you prefer your broccoli to be a little more tender, roast for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds in small dry skillet or saucepan over low heat, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 15 to 20 minutes.

Combine the water, miso, tahini, rice vinegar and tamari sauce in a mixing bowl and let the miso and tahini soak in the liquid for a while to soften up. Mix together well, then stir in the ginger, honey, cayenne, and sesame oils.

Arrange the roasted broccoli on plates and drizzle sauce over each serving. Scatter the toasted sesame seeds and slices of green onion over each plate and serve.

Alternately, place the broccoli, toasted sesame seeds, green onions and sauce in a large mixing bowl. Toss all of the ingredients together and serve.

2 comments:

The sesame oil in the sauce is plain sesame cooking oil, yes? It's there to bulk out the toasted sesame oil so that its flavor isn't overpowering? If so, could I get away with subbing in peanut or veg oil?

Yes Al, the sesame oil in the sauce is regular sesame cooking oil. Yes again that it is there to tame the toasted sesame oil and to add more liquid to the sauce. You could for sure sub peanut oil or any other vegetable oil and it would still come out fine.

Based in London, Ontario, a veteran vegetarian for 23 years serves up a collection of delicious culinary creations from her kitchen, with an emphasis on spicy Indian dishes and whole foods. If you want to know what sensible vegetarians eat, Lisa's Kitchen is the place to be.